Top 10 Bands That Hate Their Own Names
#10: Death Cab for Cutie
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Many a band name has been coined from song titles by other musicians and these Washington indie rockers are no exception. According to frontman Ben Gibbard, this one came from the same-titled 1967 song by another bizarrely named musical group - the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. While it might have been a “cutie” name for a band at the time, that decision didn’t quite age well, leaving fans and critics alike with a distaste for it, which sounds more like the product of a random word generator than a well-thought-out moniker. Gibbard has publicly said that if he knew his band would still be popular 15 years after they formed, he would've picked something “more obvious” for a band name.
#9: Little Mix
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If you thought this was the name of a children’s music band when you first heard it, then you are not alone. This British girl group shot into the spotlight in 2011 after becoming the first group to win the British version of “The X-Factor,” but would’ve been known by a slightly different name. Originally named Rhythmix, the group was forced to change this due to a disagreement with a children’s charity also called that. Speaking with RuPaul on his podcast, group member, Jade Thirlwall recalls the group hating the name “for ages” because it made them “sound like children.” Sounds like a little switcheroo with the children’s charity would’ve made everyone happy.
#8: Mogwai
When you pick a name with a demonic translation, don’t be surprised if your decision haunts you down the line. Originally gotten from what one form of the titular creatures are called in the 80s comedy-horror film, Gremlins, the origins of “mogwai” were actually derived from a Cantonese word meaning “devil” or “evil spirit”. Yikes. Surprisingly, the evil connotations of their moniker don’t quite bother these Scottish post-rock veterans. Vocalist and guitarist, Stuart Braithwaite admitted that the name “has no significant meaning and we always intended on getting a better one, but like a lot of other things we never got round to it." That just goes to show that you may “fear Satan,” but you don’t necessarily have to believe in him.
#7: Mumford & Sons
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When Nicki Minaj said, [“all these b*tches is my sons,”] it seems someone was taking notes. These English folk rockstars decided on their moniker because frontman Marcus Mumford was the most prominent of the pack, attaching ‘& Sons’ to his surname to sound like an “antiquated family business name.” Sadly, the patriarch of this family business is no longer keen on how much it centers on him. Describing it as a “ball-ache” to NME, Marcus said he “definitely regrets the band name” and would’ve called the band anything other than his last name, if he’d “known things would go this way.” Oh well, we guess not everyone has the balls to walk in Ms. Minaj’s footsteps.
#6: Jimmy Eat World
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A few minutes is a crucial period in the music industry. If you’re Lorde, it could be how long it takes you to write a hit song… or, decide on a band name you’d regret forever, if you’re a member of this alt-rock band. Leading man Jim Adkins revealed on Twitter that the band discussed for “less than five minutes, no shit” before deciding on their gluttonous band name. He also advised new musical artists to ensure the acronyms of their group’s names don't complicate matters for them. This led one fan to comment that the problem could’ve been avoided if they’d just gone with ‘Jimmy ATE World’ instead. Oh, the difference a little more thought can make.
#5: Lady Antebellum [now Lady A]
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In the wake of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, this Grammy-winning country band announced that they were dropping the word ‘Antebellum’ from their name and rebranding as ‘Lady A’. Posting online, the group stated that they were “regretful and embarrassed” at only just realizing the association of the word with slavery and the hurt it must have caused their fans. This change received a mixed reaction, as some criticized the band for waiting so long to do it and for choosing a name that Anita White, a Black activist and blues singer was already using. With an abbreviation that still calls back to their original name, it left people wondering how big of a change it really was.
#4: Arctic Monkeys
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Unlike some of the entries on this list, this English indie rock band doesn’t just regret their name, they think it’s outright bad. The Arctic Monkeys’ frontman and potential hair model, Alex Turner, admitted that “so bad that the tribute bands don’t sound worse,” but thinks they should get a pass anyway since it’s the first band any of them had ever been in. On the origins of the name, Turner added that guitarist Jamie Cook came up with it and just never told the others where it came from. We’d say it’s a great band name, but sadly, whatever we say they are, that’s exactly what they’re not.
#3: Smashing Pumpkins
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Whether you read the word ‘smashing’ here as a verb or an adjective doesn’t quite save this from being a questionable band name. The origin of the moniker of this hit 90s rock band with a tumultuous history is not quite clear, thanks in no small part to frontman Billy Corgan. Corgan has given multiple origin stories, including it being a divine revelation from God, a dreamy suggestion by Gene Simmons, and from a childhood friend’s need to “smash pumpkins” during Halloween. Whatever it is, we agree with bassist D’Arcy Wretzky who called it “a stupid name, a dumb bad joke, and a bad idea.” For such an apt description, D’Arcy, you leave us smiling politely.
#2: Dixie Chicks [now The Chicks]
Following their country counterparts, Lady A, this multiple Grammy-winning trio announced a name change mere weeks before releasing their first album in fourteen years. Dropping the word ‘Dixie’ due to its association with the Confederacy, the group decided to rebrand as The Chicks. They pointed out that they’d always considered the name stupid and thought about changing it “years and years and years ago,” reaching their breaking point when they saw the Confederate flag being labeled “the Dixie Swastika.” When asked about fans who don’t like the name change, the trio - who are no stranger to controversy - said they don’t really care. They may go by a slightly different name, but The Chicks are still not ready to make nice.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Milky Chance
They’ve Admitted That Milky Chance Isn’t the Best Name
Japandroids
They Would've Picked a Better Moniker If They Knew Their Career Would Kick Off
McBusted
McFly & Busted Admit It Is Lame, but Went with It Because It Was the Supergroup’s Best Option
Isis
Changed Their Facebook Name to “Isis the Band” to Stop Confusion with the Militant Group
Hoobastank
Vocalist Doug Robb Expressed Remorse Regarding the Group’s Unfortunate Naming
#1: Foo Fighters
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For such a smooth, alliterative band name, it’s okay to be a little confused as to why it’s on this list. Gotten from the nickname that World War II pilots used to report UFOs, this band name was picked by frontman Dave Grohl, in a bid to release new recordings anonymously after the breakup of Nirvana. Grohl has admitted to hating the name, calling it “the dumbest band name ever” and saying he would’ve gone with another name if he’d known their career would “last more than a month-and-a-half.” Way to take a dig at yourself there, Dave! Look on the bright side: at least, you don’t have to worry about your band’s acronyms.
